IGP enjoins policemen to be civil in discharging duties
Mohammed Adamu, Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has accused members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra of carrying out the attacks on the police command headquarters and the Federal Correctional Centre in Imo state.
Gunmen had, in the early hours of Monday, attacked both the police command headquarters and the prison in Owerri, Imo state capital, setting free about 1800 prisoners.
Adamu said the attacks on the two security formations were carried out by the Eastern Security Network, the security arm of IPOB.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said in a statement on Monday, “Preliminary investigations have revealed that the attackers, who came in their numbers with sophisticated weapons such as General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), Sub-Machine Guns (SMGs), AK49 rifles, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), are members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The attempt by the attackers to gain access to the Police armoury at the Headquarters was totally and appropriately resisted by Police operatives on duty who repelled the attackers and prevented them from breaking-in and looting the armoury. The armoury is thus intact! Similarly, the police suffered no human casualty, apart from a police constable who sustained a minor bullet wound on his shoulder.”
The IGP, who described the invasion as an attack on “the soul of the nation”, urged members of the public to cooperate with the police by volunteering useful information that will lead to the arrest of the gunmen.
Adamu also advised South-East leaders “to speak out against the unfolding violence and criminality.”
The statement, however, added that the IGP has ordered the deployment of additional squads “to strengthen security in the state and prevent further attacks on security formations or any other critical national infrastructure in the state”.
The statement disclosed that one of the vehicles used by the gunmen during the attacks has been recovered, while the Imo commissioner of police has been directed to set up a special investigation team to tackle attacks on security formations in the state.
“The CP is to harness the security reinforcement squads and other operational assets at his disposal to take the battle to the door-steps of the attackers and prevent any further attack anywhere within the state and its environs,” it further stated.
